[Limited Edition Premium Tonkotsu Ramen] Chabuton @ Somerset 313

Chabuton opened with much fanfare last year when it first arrived in Singapore. If you haven’t heard of it, it’s helmed by Chef Yasuji, the first-ever ramen chef to receive a Michelin Star! He was also crowned the “Best Ramen Chef” by TV Champion. Yay to more affordable Michelin-star options in this tiny red dot! However, due to its long queues, I haven’t had the chance to try it until I was invited for the launch of their limited edition Premium Tonkotsu Ramen. Read on to find out what’s so special about it!
Various condiments to go along with your ramen, including fried shallots! IkaKaraage [Fried Squid] ($5) – Now, before we go into the highlight of the post, let me just bring you through some of Chabuton’s small bites that’s worth your penny! Here, we have some really addictive (and sinful) fried squid. Unlike calamari rings, these were small and manageable. Served fresh out of the oil, they were crispy on the outside and chewy within. I love anything sotong, so this definitely got my stamp of approval. Hitokuchi Gyoza ($6) – A must-order at Chabuton in my opinion! Judging by its unusual shape and size, you know that this is some serious homemade gyoza, unlike the usual frozen ones. I have to say that these were one of the yummiest and freshest gyozas I’ve ever eaten. The skin was slightly thicker than the usual ones in the market and its flat shape meant that there was a larger ratio of gyoza skin to filling, with every bite. With a larger surface area that lands on the frying pan, you’ll get a more substantial amount of crispiness. The filling was juicy and tender too. You know how the lumps of meat within off-the-shelves gyozas are so stiff that you can easily separate the skin from them? The ones here are the exact opposite as the meat and gyoza skin complement each other so well. No doubt a Michelin-Star gyoza too.
Chef Yasuji himself was in Singapore to grace the launch of the Premium Tonkotsu Ramen! A video was shown to us, depicting the arduous process of creating this ramen. You can find a total of 3 types of collagen within this ramen, including chicken, minced pork and kurobuta pork bone. Beauty soup combined with ramen is simply genius, don’t you think? Premium Tonkotsu Ramen ($18.90) – Here’s the first look of it! The ramen comes with an egg, minced pork, bamboo shoots and of course, the star of the show – a piece Kurobuta pork, which is also billed as the most highly-prized pork in Japan. Ya know, the wagyu of pork?
A close-up of the amazinggggg Kurobuta Pork. I’ve eaten kurobuta pork many times, from kurobuta pork cheeks to kurobuta shabu shabu. However, none melted like this piece of gold did in my mouth. I strongly advise you to savour the layer of fats, before it melts within a split second (and throw away your inhibitions of consuming this sinful little thing). Extremely well-seasoned, the kurobuta pork is also made fresh daily and no overnight ones will be served. Ramen eggs may be a secondary ingredient in a bowl of ramen but it does make or break the quality of ramen in its entirety. Also, who’s not crazy over a perfect egg? When I held the egg up with my chopsticks, little dents were made at the points of contact and I immediately knew that I was in for a treat. I’m not kidding when I say this is one of the best ramen eggs of my life. It was so flowy, soft and delicious; it was perfect. What stood out to me most, was how well-seasoned the egg tasted. The taste of ramen soup culminated within the egg itself.
Springy noodles! I’ve always preferred the white, thin ramen noodles as opposed to the yellow ones.
One more shot to tempt you! Oh, and a special mention goes to the bamboo shoots. Usually, I’ll leave the bamboo shoots alone but these were simply too tasty that I ate them all! My only gripe though was that the broth was a tad too salty for my liking. That said, you could always choose to have a milder-tasting soup (as well as choose the hardness of noodles).

I really enjoyed this bowl of ramen and I have to say that the price point is extremely affordable with so much goodness, nutritional value within (hello to smoother skin), and a Michelin-Star one! Catch this bowl of Premium Tonkotsu Ramen before 31 March 2015!